Greenville

Student wins seed money for entrepreneurial venture

Xavier Guay of Greenville was among 48 UMass Lowell students recently awarded $35,000 in seed money for winning concepts for businesses, technology and services in the university’s 2014 DifferenceMaker Idea Challenge.

The competition is part of UMass Lowell’s DifferenceMaker Program, which teaches students entrepreneurial skills they can put to work solving business, technology and societal problems. Seventy student teams submitted ideas to compete in the contest and 42 teams were selected. Fourteen were chosen to receive a share of the $35,000.

Guay, a computer engineering major, was a member of the SOS, or Support our Students, team proposing a meal-sharing service for students that won $7,000. The seed money will allow the students to continue to develop their concept.

“Students made their presentations to the judges and audience at UMass Lowell’s Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, which is home to DifferenceMaker Central, dedicated incubator space where students can develop, share and grow their ideas. The challenge is supported by private donations.